Rigid shaft coupler



Filed June 18, 1.948

f 2 W a, w I 7 \,.//9 M, j, mf; y J/ w wd n Q 07W Mw 1 7 7./ l 3Patented Apr. 18, 1950 unirme rs rnfrailes PATENT CE RIGID SI'AFT .LeroyJ. iConn, Clarendon, Pa. Application .lime 194:8, Serial No,l 33,899

a shaft and a sleeve in rigid end-to-end relation.

With the foregoing in view, it is an object of my invention ltojprovidean improved rigid shaft coupling.

A further object is toV provide an improved .rigid .shaft coupling whichis` readily detachably Iconnectedtogether without theuse of'conventional "couplingmeafns Other objects Vand advantages reside inthe particular structure of theinventicn, combination and arrangementjot theseveral parts, and

will be readily understoodby those skilled in the art upon reference tothe attached drawing and in connection with the following specification,wherein the invention is shown, described and claimed.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a transverse vertical sectional view through a coupleraccording to the invention and taken substantially on the plane of theline I-I of Figure 2;

Figure :2 is an elevational view with parts shown in longitudinalvertical section substantially on the plane of the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a view like Figure 2, but showing a slightly modified formof the construction;

Figure 4 is a view like Figure 3, but showing a further modification ofthe structure.

In the drawing, wherein like reference characters have been usedthroughout the several views to designate like parts, and referring atfirst to the form of invention illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, I0designates one end of any suitable cylindrical rod. The periphery of therod I El is provided with a notch II which is adapted to have seatedtherein the inner end of any suitable key I2. The key I2 according tothe invention includes a horizontall -disposed portion including anarcuate periphery I3. Likewise, the key I 2 includes a radiallyoutwardly-directed flange I4. In this form of the invention, the end IIl of the rod is telescoped into the bore of a sleeve I5 which may beprovided with a shoulder 20 to limit such telescopic movement of the rodinto the sleeve. Likewise, the shoulder 2i! provides means forregistering the notch it of the rod end with an aperture I6 formed inthe sleeve I5. The key I2 is seated in the notch II and extends upwardlythrough the aperture I B in the sleeve so that the arcuate "i'nassembled relation in a, Amanner 4 Claims. (Cl. 2875-419) 'surface It of'the key A`lies flush with the outer periphery :of the sleeve 1I5. 'Thisarrangement permits a ring Il tombe slipped over the sleeve and keyjointly' seating against lthe shoulder profe'd Icy the flange M of thekey. (Thereafter, y 'sul ijle set screw I9 `may be ex'tendecl fthrong anaperture tIf formed ifn the sleeve I5, Awhereby 'fthe inner end -ofV theVset screw I9 Amay beiengaged with the rod end I0 to lock the parts Y Kreadily under- 's'toodi Inl Vthe form foi invention show-n 'in VFigure3, pair of rod ends -I` are adap'tedto vbe'connected "therin*end-tondrelation; The structure 'oithefpartsis V'iderrtical,'exceptthat there are provided keys f2 *and apairroi rings vII andtfheassoclatediset screws TF9.' Also, the -slee've is provided "whichtelescopically engages both rod ends It. Likewise, the sleeve 25 isprovided with a pair of longitudinally-spaced apertures 2Q permittingthe extension of the keys I2 therethrough and a pair oflongitudinally-spaced oversize apertures 23 permitting the passage ofthe set screws I5 therethrough. Otherwise, the parts work and operate inthe same manner as in the first-described form of the invention.

In the form of invention of Figure 4, the parts are again substantiallysimilar to the rstdescribed form, except that a sleeve 35 is welded, asat SI, to one end of a rod 35i. The sleeve 35 may be counterbored toprovide a shoulder 40 against which the rod end I0 abuts so as toposition the notch thereof in alignment with the aperture 36 formed inthe sleeve 35 for the key I2. The second aperture 38 is formed in thesleeve 35 for the passage of the set screw I9 therethrough.

In all forms of the invention, to disconnect the coupling, it is onlynecessary tc back off the set screws I9 until their inner ends areSlightly outwardly of the periphery of the sleeves I5, 25 or 3'5, atwhich time the rings I 1 may be slipped 01T of arcuate surfaces of thekey I2, permitting the latter to be withdrawn from the aligned aperturesI S, 2B or 36 and the notches II on the rod end Ill. Thereafter, the rodends IIB may be readily disconnected from the associated sleeves in amanner readily understood. It follows from the foregoing that thecoupling achieved by all forms of the invention prevents relativerotation of the rods to each other or to the associated coupled sleeve.Likewise, the overlapping relation of the sleeves I5, 25 or 35 providesa rigidly reinforced coupling against lateral stresses.

Thus, while I have shown and described what are now thought to be thepreferred embodiments of the invention, it is to be understood that thesame is susceptible of other forms and expressions. Consequently, I donot limit myself to the precise structures shown and described.hereinabove except as hereinafter claimed.

I claim:

l. Means for coupling a -rod to a sleeve, comprising a rod formed with aperipheral notch providing a key seat, said sleeve telescopicallyreceiving said rod therein and being formed with an apertureregisterable with said seat, a key freely and radially seatable in saidaligned aperture and seat, said key and sleeve including outercomplementary nush surfaces, a ring slidable on said sleeve into and outof overlying relation to said key whereby to retain the saine seated,means for releasably locking said ring in overlying relation to saidkey, and said key including a radially outwardly-extending portionengageable with said ring to limit sliding of said ring in onedirection.

2. ln a rigid shaft coupling device including a rod having a radialoutwardly opening notch therein and a sleeve formed with a radiallyextending aperture therethrough or aligning with the notch, a keyslidable in the aligned aperture and notch to be seated in said notchand extending through said aperture, an outwardly extending flange onone end of said key, ring slidably engageable about said sleeve oversaid key and engaging said iiange for retaining said key in enagementwith said rod and sleeve.

3. Means for coupling a rod to a sleeve comand a locking e prising a rodformed with a peripheral key-regf;

ceiving notch therein, a sleeve slidably engaging over said rod andformed with a key receiving aperture for registering with said notch, akey slidable in said aperture and engaging in said notch, akey-retaining ring slidable about said sleeve and engageable with saidkey for retaining said key positioned in said sleeve and rod and a ringengaging member on said key engageable with said ring for positioningsaid ring over said rey.

4. Means for coupling a rod to a sleeve comprising a rod formed with aperipheral key-receiving notch therein, a sleeve slidaloly engaging oversaid rod and formed with a key-receiving aperture registerable with saidnotch, a key slidable in said aperture and engaging in said notch, akey-retaining ring slidable about said sleeve and engageahle with saidkey for retaining said key positioned in said sleeve and rod, a ringengaging member on said key engageable with said ring for positioningsaid ring over said key and means carried by said ring engaging said rodfor securing said ring in key retaining position.

LEROY J. CONN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are oi record the file of thisrpatentt UNETED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 582,464 Dusenhury May11, 1897 1,169,513 Boyle, Jr Jan. 25, 1916 2,458,740 Schafer Jan. 1l,1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 275,514 Great Britain Aug. 1l,1927

